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Outbreak (1995)
Beware Of The Bug!...
Back in the good old days, when the threat of a new, global OUTBREAK was only a hypothesis, this movie scared the living $h!t out of us. The idea of an emerging viral Armageddon was brought into the social consciousness with this movie.
Dustin Hoffman is military doctor, Sam Daniels, who takes on the corrupt shenanigans of his superiors (Morgan Freeman and Donald Sutherland) in order to combat a terrifyingly lethal, quickly-mutating viral strain.
The tension level remains high throughout most of the movie, with Daniels scrambling, along with his team, to track down the original animal host. Of course, in retrospect, we see how condensed and fudged-over some of the "science" is, but at the time, this really freaked us out!
Regardless, OUTBREAK remains a suspenseful, action-packed experience...
Unstoppable (2010)
Head-On...
UNSTOPPABLE gets rolling right away when a numbskull gets off of his moving train engine, figuring he can just hop back on. Of course, this decision leads to the titular locomotive becoming a speeding missile on rails, endangering everything and everyone in its path. The action is handled well, making the train a near character in itself, as in all good "disaster films". The camera work keeps the situation hot, leaving us on the edge of our seats for most of the movie.
What really makes this effective are the characters of Frank and Will (Denzel Washington and Chris Pine), with Frank being the seasoned veteran conductor to Will's green newbie. Starting out as more adversarial toward each other, as things get increasingly dangerous, they're relationship evolves in a realistic fashion. Rosario Dawson also does a tremendous job as Connie, who leads the central command center, and must serve as a go-between, between the runaway train and the greed-driven bosses at corporate.
A fantastic thriller with a very high nail-biting factor...
Under the Silver Lake (2018)
"<><> ///"...
UNDER THE SILVER LAKE is Director David Robert Mitchell's ode to Hollywood, both old and new. It's also a unique mystery-thriller that takes slacker / everyman, Sam (Andrew Garfield), on a bizarre odyssey in search of a missing woman. Oh, and there's a maniacal dog killer on the loose. Oh, and Sam is being stalked by what just might be a succubus. Oh, yeah, and there's a death cult.
In addition, you may never look at chess, cereal box prizes, or video games in the same way again!
Mr. Mitchell packs his movie with all sorts of fun images and symbols, making the whole thing like an adult Easter egg hunt. There are mysterious cyphers, subliminal images, and hidden clues sprinkled throughout the movie. The cast is a vast array of oddball characters for Sam to encounter.
If you enjoy movies like Scorsese's AFTER HOURS, or anything by David Lynch, then you'll probably love this crackpot gem...
Snowpiercer (2013)
Microcosm...
SNOWPIERCER is a perfectly wicked satire, wrapped in a post-apocalyptic / dystopian veneer. It's an acidic lampoon of class warfare, social injustice, and the insane megalomaniacs who run it all through violence and intimidation. It's what BRAZIL might have been like had Terry Gilliam decided to have it take place on a train.
The titular locomotive is a futuristic marvel, barrelling its way through the ice and snow that cover a frozen Earth. Those in the back cars of the train live in abject poverty, kept in line and in place by a cohort of armed soldiers and the walking malignancy known as Mason (Tilda Swinton). The "food" is disgusting, and the living conditions are deplorable.
Revolution is in the air.
Once the reistence begins, the terrible truth starts to emerge. We are made privy to the way of life in the cars up front, and boy, it's astonishing indeed. As soul-scorching as these revelations are, they pale in comparison to what lies ahead in the final act, which is nothing short of life-shattering for everyone, including the viewer!
If you crave intelligent science fiction that has something to say, then look no further...
Signs (2002)
Preordination...
Writer-Director M. Night Shyamalan's SIGNS is, on its surface, a film about alien invasion. However, it's far more than that. Mel Gibson plays former Reverend Graham Hess, who is in a crisis of faith after losing his wife. The atmosphere is already somber before the extraordinary events begin to happen. Mr. Gibson does a superior job of evincing Graham's inner torment. Without a word, we know this man is in deep pain.
Joaquin Phoenix is Graham's brother, Merrill. He's living with Graham and his kids. When the bizarre occurrences start creeping in, the family must pull together, ultimately turning their farmhouse into a sanctuary / fortress. Throughout the movie the focus is on the family and their relationship, not on the extraterrestrials. This actually adds to the mystery and suspense, giving us glimpses of things, and allowing our own imaginations to fill in the blanks.
The Director has said that he drew influence from Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS and George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, both of which also pit a group of people against a terrifying onslaught, fortifying a house for an Alamo-style "last stand". SIGNS pays tribute to these films without ripping them off.
The finale is another signature jaw-dropper, tying several threads together. Another classic from Mr. Shyamalan's heyday...
Out of the Dark (1988)
"It's Time For BoBo!"...
In OUT OF THE DARK, a maniac in a clown mask threatens the women working for a "fantasy phone call" service. This is no ordinary pervert, and soon the girls are biting the dust one by one. The cops are baffled, and there are several suspects, some more obvious than others.
This is one of those rather lackluster, late 1980s slasher films that came along after the subgenre had mostly been played out. It's sluggish, sort of goofy, and not all that frightening. The killer is absurd, which would have been alright if this had been more of a comedy. As it stands, it's not very memorable. There's also plenty of soft core cheeeze, if that's to your liking.
It is nice to see Karen Black, Bud Cort, and Geoffrey Lewis, though their talents are wasted here. Paul Bartel produced this movie. If only he'd directed it as one of his comedies and starred in it (watch for his cameo as a be-wigged hotel manager), it might have at least been funnier...
Riddick (2013)
Battleground...
In RIDDICK, Vin Diesel returns as the titular ultimate antihero. After rising from his premature burial, Riddick finds himself on a hostile planet, full of creatures that rival those in the original PITCH BLACK. We are taken along with Riddick as he adapts to this new environment, getting stronger, and awaiting those who will inevitably come for him.
The violent fun begins when, not one, but two groups of mercenaries arrive, armed like small armies, and hungry for blood and bounty. Of course, they have no real idea what they're up against. While the humans are formidible, it's the monsters that everyone, including Riddick, have to worry about. These things are ferocious, and attack in unique ways.
This could be the best movie in the series, and Mr. Diesel's help with the production is the reason why. It probably wouldn't have been made without his input, both creative and financial. Director David Twohy keeps it all gritty and bleak, allowing Riddick to be a true survivor type.
A high-energy sci-fi thriller with explosive action and interesting twists...
The 6th Day (2000)
Facing Yourself...
In THE 6TH DAY, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Adam Gibson, a successful businessman with a wonderful family and a great life. That is, until circumstances lead him to find out a terrible secret. A secret that threatens everything he loves, and forces him to question what it means to be human.
This is an above average sci-fi thriller. It's sort of like a cousin of TOTAL RECALL, only in this movie, Arnold's character finds himself up against futuristic, illegal cloning instead of memory implantation. As in RECALL, there's a nefarious corporation, and a squad of goons, this time led by the one-and-only Michael Rooker! The corporate head is also odeous, and we can't wait for Arnold to deliver his comeuppance!
Though the premise is somewhat silly, and the "science" calls for some serious suspension of disbelief, Arnold is great in his dual role, and there's plenty of action. His fans will love every minute of it...
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
Planetary Cleansing...
THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK picks up 5 years after the events of PITCH BLACK, with prison escapee Riddick (Vin Diesel) being hunted by mercenaries, only to find himself recruited to save an entire planet. He must draw upon all of his skills in order to face an intergalactic threat. The Necromongers are a cult-like army of planet comquerers that have set their sights on Helion Prime, and only Riddick stands a chance of defeating them.
Director David Twohy presents us with a futuristic mix of sci-fi and mystical elements, with loads of action and intrigue. Mr. Diesel really gets a chance to show off what his character can do. Iron-tough, gritty, and fearless, he's up to the task, even when diverted to the prison planet Crematoria, where he reunites with Jack (Alexa Davalos). We all know that Riddick is at his best when he's up against overwhelming odds. He does not disappoint! This time, Jack is able to help, since her childhood adulation of Riddick has turned her into a fierce ally.
Judi Dench has a small, but important role as the supernatural being, Aereon. She is an elemental who lives in both the physical and spiritual realm. Keith David reprises his role as Imam.
A solid, engaging sequel...
Pitch Black (2000)
Night Vision...
PITCH BLACK is one of the best horror-sci-fi movies of the 21st Century. Vin Diesel plays the ultimate bada$$, Riddick, a murderer aboard a spacecraft that crashlands on a barren desert planet. Riddick soon becomes the most important passenger, when it's discovered that something is on the planet that is a dire threat to everyone involved.
Director David Twohy effectively presents the alien world by keeping all outside shots over-saturated, and giving it either a blue or yellow tint, depending on which of its three suns are up. The title comes in due to the lining up of other planets that bring about total darkness every 22 years. This also awakens the creatures that are very, very hungry.
Radha Mitchel is fantastic as the co-pilot of the marooned ship, and Keith David plays a convincing role as an Imam. However, there's never any doubt that this is Mr. Diesel's movie. Everything about him projects toughness and total self-confidence, making him one of the coolest antiheroes ever!
As for the monsters, they're uniquely hideous abominations, and pretty damned scary! Some of the CGI might seem dated, but it's forgivable considering its vintage.
High-octane, deep space entertainment...
2012 (2009)
Destroyed Again, Naturally...
2012 is another super-charged, hyper-condensed "disaster film" from Director Roland Emmerich. This time, we find out that the Mayan's were right, and that the Sun will cause the Earth to self-destruct in the titular year.
Enter John Cusack as disengaged dad, Jackson Curtis, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as geologist, Adrian Helmsley, one of the few humans in this movie with a functioning brain. We are taken along the divergent paths of these two, while the world crumbles, rattles, and floods.
As usual, Mr. Emmerich takes about 20 hours worth of material, and squeezes it all into 2 hours and 30 minutes. This is not only head-spinning, it's insane. We go from 2009 to 2012 in minutes, allowing for no character or real story development. It's blatantly obvious that the Director just can't wait to plunge us into his nightmare catastrophe, which he certainly does.
Bottom Line: Mr. Emmerich is committed to making the same, basic movie over and over again...
Rampage (2018)
We're Gonna Need Bigger Bananas...
RAMPAGE starts off in space, where a tragic event has caused a secret genetic experiment to be hurtled back to Earth. This causes three animals to mutate, two of which are in the San Diego Zoo.
Enter Dwayne Johnson as Primatologist, Davis Okoye, ex-Special Forces, and friend of George, an albino Silverback gorilla. George is a well-realized CGI creation, with some nice touches that really give him a personality. The interactions between George and Davis seem genuine.
Of course, the title comes in, and George, and two other creatures, grow to enormous proportions, and run amok. This is when it turns into a true monster movie, with tons of action, explosions, and billions of dollars in property destruction. Most of the mayhem takes place in Chicago.
Get the popcorn and drinks ready, and prepare to be entertained...
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Up From The Depths...
GODZILLA MINUS ONE opens with a bang, introducing us to Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a kamikaze pilot taking refuge on a small island, only to witness the terrible onslaught of the titular monster. Set right at the end of World War Two, Japan has already suffered devastating losses. Unfortunately, their troubles have only just begun.
The first thing that must be said is that this is more than just another giant monster movie. While it is that, and an astonishing one, it also has a deep, complicated human story, mostly set around Shikishima and those he encounters. Especially, young Noriko (Minami Hamabe). There's a lot of pathos, and a vulnerability that isn't usually associated with the genre.
Of course, Godzilla is the enormous, looming threat that makes it all work. Godzilla is a wonder to behold, sure to satisfy fans with some awe-inspiring CGI. The catastrophic attack sequences are breathtaking.
The whole movie looks like something made in the 1940s-50s, with convincing black and white that makes it all seem like some lost, vintage epic.
Watch immediately. You won't be disappointed...
Meteor (1979)
Urgent Diplomacy...
METEOR is a disaster movie that sports a stellar cast. Sean Connery stars as Paul Bradley, an ex-NASA man, brought back when a comet causes trouble in the asteroid belt. Now, the titular space boulder is about to make a catastrophic appearance on Earth.
Much of the fun comes from the behind-the-scenes, political wrangling between the United States (Henry Fonda plays the President) and the USSR, during the height of the Cold War. The cooperation / trust required is a monumental leap, even though the threat is overwhelming, and time is short.
It's also quite humorous to watch Mr. Connery's character find time to flirt with the russian interpretor (Natalie Wood), in spite of the possible impending doom. Special mention goes to Martin Landau, who plays his Air Force Commander with manic glee.
As for the various impacts from meteor fragments, their fairly effective, with the one hitting NYC being particularly eerie in retrospect. However, the subway scene is the best disaster sequence of the entire film.
An enjoyable yarn for popcorn lovers...
Vermines (2023)
Pest Control...
INFESTED works well because it uses the fear of spiders, in conjunction with the fear of darkness, mixed with an overall sense of claustrophobia and paranoia. Right from the opening we know that these are no ordinary arachnids, and that anyone coming in contact with them is in big trouble.
Once they are unleashed upon the unsuspecting denizens of an apartment building, the true, gruesome fun begins.
Director Sebastien Vanicek keeps things closed-in and poorly lit, allowing the tiny creatures to skitter out at unexpected times, causing our hearts to jump and our flesh to crawl. Real spiders were used, as they were in the classic, ARACHNOPHOBIA. This helps with realism. Some CGI had to be utilized in later scenes, but it's above average, and doesn't take us out of the movie.
There are realistic bonds among the neighbors, as well as a few poignant moments between friends and family members.
A superb first effort from the Director...
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Final Glory...
RAMBO: LAST BLOOD is the perfect bookend to the original FIRST BLOOD (1982). It finds John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) in his later years, attempting to finally settle into a quieter life. In this, he's fairly successful, until the day his Neice (Yvette Monreal) decides to head for Mexico in search of her deadbeat father. Not surprisingly, this doesn't go very well, and Rambo must once again return to his former self.
This is a rather bleak, though action-packed film, pitting Rambo against the most reprehensible adversaries / criminals he's ever faced. It's a fitting denouement for the character, giving him one final battle to fight. Fans of these movies will not be disappointed...
Dante's Peak (1997)
"Please! Stay! Calm!"...
DANTE'S PEAK is one of the better "disaster films", due to its solid story about a volcanologist (Pierce Brosnan) and his team's discovery of an imminent volcanic event. Said event spells doom for the small town in its wake, headed by Mayor Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton). Mr. Brosnan and Ms. Hamilton have great chemistry together, which is a good thing since the first act is mostly about their evolving relationship.
However, this is no sappy love story! Once the lava hits the fan, we're taken along on a hellride of explosive action and adventure, right up to the hair-raising final act. The special effects are effective throughout, with both practical and digital FX being used. The eruptions, lava flows, and ash clouds are all rendered masterfully.
A solid, seat-of-the-pants thriller...
Batman Begins (2005)
Becoming Fear...
Director Christopher Nolan's BATMAN BEGINS scores high points for its thorough, engrossing portrayal of the origins of the Dark Knight. Christian Bale proves immediately that he's the man for the job, playing Bruce Wayne as a man with a tragic past, able to channel his anger and sorrow into his Alter ego, in order to clean up his beloved Gotham City.
Michael Caine is Alfred, Wayne's butler, friend and confidant. Katie Holmes is Rachel, Bruce's life-long friend. Liam Neeson is the mysterious Ducard, and Morgan Freeman puts in a wonderful performance as Lucious Fox. Gary Oldman makes a perfect Gordon.
Watch for Nolan regular, Cillian Murphy as the more-than-he-seems-to-be Dr. Crane. He's creepy in this, no matter what he's doing!
Mr. Nolan packs his movie with action and danger for our hero, keeping Gotham the dark, bleak place we all know and love.
A superior super hero film...
Conan the Destroyer (1984)
More Hyborian Hijinks...
CONAN THE DESTROYER had a lot going against it right out of the gate. While Arnold returned to play the titular character, there was no real replacement for Sandahl Bergman's character, who had such great chemistry with Arnold in the first film.
Also, instead of an R-rating, this time there are the limitations of a PG-rating, keeping the sword-swinging action "child safe", which sort of takes some of the punch out of this follow-up.
Still, there are good points as well. Grace Jones plays the smart, resourceful warrior, Zula, and Wilt Chamberlain towers over everyone as the imposing Bombasta. There are the familiar settings and a quest for a magical item. As an added bonus, Andre Rene "The Giant" Roussimoff suits up as the hideous monster toward the end.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a lazy afternoon...
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Brain Freeze...
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW is the perfect Roland Emmerich movie. It takes the theory of climate change, pushes it to unbelievable extremes, twists it into pretzels, and turns it all into a hyper-speed action film.
Scientists, including Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), discover that the climate is changing, and that a global cooldown is underway. Not just some slow-moving iceage, but a near instantaneous deepfreeze, set to turn the Northern Hemisphere into a frozen wasteland overnight. How will the world deal with this imminent absurdity?
Mr. Emmerich pulls out all the stops here, getting a chance to play around with a plethora of disasters. We get, among other things:
Basketball-sized hail! Sudden-onset, sub-zero temperatures that turn people into popsicles! Tsunamis! Hurricanes! Tornadoes! Floods!
Bottom line: If you enjoy non-stop action, complete with tanker ships floating through NYC, then this is your dream come true! If you're looking for a serious expose on the subject matter, well...
Sting (2024)
Envenomation And Exsanguination...
STING is a really good monster movie with impressive -both CGI and practical- special effects. If you are a fan of such films, then this monster will not disappoint. While the story might not be complex, it gets the job done, presenting us with plenty of terror, gory moments, and some humor along the way.
Set in an apartment building during a heavy snowstorm, the residents begin experiencing a severe bug problem after young Charlotte (Alyla Browne) captures and befriends a tiny spider. Of course, we know from the opening that said arachnid is actually a visitor from outer space. A creature with a voracious appetite, and the ability to grow at an alarming rate.
One thing that helps this film is its having a solid cast of oddball characters, including an elderly woman with dementia; an exterminator with an attitude; a strange, monotone biologist; and the mean, ultra-bitter owner of the building. Charlotte's family provides the pathos and dysfunction to the proceedings.
A fun, scary movie with some nice homages to classic sci-fi features...
Æon Flux (2005)
Dystopian Eye Candy...
In AEON FLUX, Charlize Theron stars in the title role. Aeon is a rebel assassin, sent to slay the ruler (Marton Csokas) of a dystopian regime. Her mission becomes complicated by unforseen circumstances that bring everything into question. This all takes place in the last city on Earth, after a plague has wiped out most of humanity.
As dystopian films go, this one isn't bad, and Ms. Theron has never looked better. The idea of a rebellion against futuristic overlords is certainly nothing new, but the story is intriguing, with several revelations and unique plot threads. There is some over-the-top technology and weaponry involved, but it is set 400 years in the future, so that's not a big issue. There's a ton of action. In fact, we barely get a chance to breathe between explosions, gun battles, and / or martial arts duels!
A super-fast-paced sci-fi thriller with just enough plot to hold it all together...
Nightwing (1979)
"I Kill Them Because They're Evil!"...
In NIGHTWING, a series of bizarre animal deaths on the Maski reservation, send local lawman, Deputy Duran (Nick Mancuso) in search of answers. Meanwhile, bat expert, Mr. Payne (David Warner) is tracking the migration of a certain species of the flying rodents. A species that just might be responsible for the increasing carnage.
This movie has a nice corporate-greed-vs.-tribal-beliefs subtext that doesn't get too distracting or overly preachy.
Both Mr. Mancuso and Mr. Warner are good in their roles, and the bats are fairly well-realized. They did a fantastic job on the attack sequences, considering there was no CGI available.
All in all, a thoroughly entertaining "nature's revenge" movie...
Bats (1999)
"See? What'd I Tell You?... Ugly!"...
BATS stars Lou Diamond Phillips as the sheriff of a small Texas town where several mysterious deaths are linked to the furry fiends of the title. Dina Meyer plays the expert who helps to defeat the rampaging menace.
The killer creatures are brought to life through animatronics and fairly decent CGI. They're actually pretty well-realized. The best scenes include the town square massacre; the school building standoff; and the explosive, subterranean, guano-filled finale. Those expecting more than a good, old fashioned monster movie might be disappointed, but fans of the genre will be entertained...
The Seeding (2023)
"What! Is! Your! Favorite! Color?!"...
A man (Scott Haze) ventures into the deep desert in order to view a solar eclipse. When he encounters what appears to be a lost boy, he tries to help him. Soon, the terror begins, changing the man's life forever.
THE SEEDING is an interesting take on the "creepy kid" subgenre. Mr. Haze is believable throughout in his tormented role, as is Kate Lyn Sheil as the mysterious woman at the center of the man's ordeal. The group of kids are frightening in a LORD OF THE FLIES / CHILDREN OF THE CORN sort of way.
This is a slow-building, somewhat disturbing film that saves most of its horror for the final act. You might find yourself muttering "WTF?" a few times as you watch it...